Cessna 172S accident near Asheville, North Carolina, June 25, 2004
On June 25, 2004 at about 3:45 am local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N2116P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Asheville, North Carolina. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The CFII's inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain clear of objects during flight. Factors were clouds and dark night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 2004 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Asheville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N2116P · no longer on the register · serial 172S9612
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the certified flight instructor, the student pilot was flying the airplane. He stated that, before the departure, they reviewed the weather data on the weather computer for the dark night flight. He stated that they climbed to 7500 feet and stayed there for about an hour using the moving map display for navigation, and the multifunctional display for terrain avoidance. He said the ceiling began to drop and to stay clear of clouds they adjusted their altitude to 5500 feet to maintain visual flight. The ceiling dropped some more and they adjusted their altitude to 4000 feet. The CFI and the student then descended to 3500 feet and according to the CFI, immediately upon reaching 3500 feet, the airplane began colliding with tree tops. He said they collided with trees in a level attitude.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 405 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 290 as pilot in command; 110 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 25 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 23 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2004; 19.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K22 Prestonsburg KY at 2:30 am
- Destination: HQU Thomson GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; a few clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 am from AVL, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.